比較破產程式中清償債權 喪失抵押品贖回權和虧損出售的區別

很多客人不止一次問過我關於法律上破產程式中清償債權,喪失抵押品贖回權和虧損出售的區別。由此可見,這 3個概念經常被人混淆。現在讓我們先從定義上區別每個概念: 破產程式中清償債權指法庭頒令免除破產申請人的一切債務。喪失抵押品贖回權是一個法律過程,指當債務人無法還清貸款時, 經債權人同意, 債務人以抵押品抵押之前所欠貸款。虧損出售是指當房主欠的貸款遠比房屋的價值要多, 債權人願意接受物業出售。

 一個客人在洛杉磯擁有市值約 25萬美元的一所房子。這棟房子有3處抵押貸款: 第一處為欠A銀行30萬元; 第二處為按揭欠B銀行5萬元; 第三處按揭欠私人朋友為 2萬元。根據破產法第七章規定,這個客人獲得了破產程式中清償債權。客戶因為失去了工作, 所以並不想保留房子。A銀行最終拿回了房產,因為客戶已經有一年沒有按揭支付房屋貸款了。在喪失抵押品贖回權拍賣中,奧巴馬以20萬元購買了該房產。那麼, A銀行是否可以起訴該客戶並且領取該客人所欠30萬和房子賣出價20萬之間的差額呢?答案是否定的, 原因有兩個.如果房子是位於加利福尼亞州, 那麼喪失抵押品贖回權是法外處理,但是在加利福尼亞州沒有喪失抵押品贖回權的漏洞。破產法庭下令免除破產申請人的一切債務。那麼B銀行是否可以起訴一直沒有償還5萬元貸款的客戶嗎?答案也是否定的, 理由是: 法院履行了這項清償債權的申請.這個客人的朋友是否可以起訴他尚未還清的2萬元呢?也不可以, 還是因為法院履行了這項清償債權的申請.另一個問題是: A銀行,B銀行和客人的朋友是否可以給客戶一個 1099從而使他以後的收入額抵銷這些無法收回的壞賬?不可以.第一個原因是清償債權不能原諒,因為已經宣告破產並且清償欠債。

COMPARE BANKRUPTCY DISCHARGE /FORECLOSURE/SHORT SALE

 Several clients have once again asked me questions that actually involve the distinction between the legal effects of a bankruptcy discharge, a foreclosure and a short sale. Consequently, there is confusion about these 3 concepts. Let’s start with defining each concept. A bankruptcy discharge is a court order from a bankruptcy court discharging or wiping out debt. A foreclosure is the legal process involved when a secured creditor takes the collateral back when debtor has defaulted on the loan. A short sale happens when a secured creditor agrees to accept an amount that is less than what is owed when the property is sold. To illustrate:

Client owns a house in Los Angeles with a fair market value of $250,000. There are 3 mortgages on this house. The first mortgage is owed to Bank A for $300,000. The second mortgage is owed to Bank B for $50,000. The third mortgage is owed to personal friend for $20,000. Client files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and subsequently obtains a discharge from the court. Client decides that he does not want to keep the house because he lost his job. Bank A eventually takes the house back because client has not paid the mortgage for one year by foreclosing on the house. At the foreclosure auction, Obama buys the house for $200,000. Can Bank A sue client to collect the difference between $300,000, the amount owed to Bank A, and $200,000, the amount Obama paid for the house? No. There are 2 reasons. If the house was located in California and the foreclosure was extrajudicial, there is no foreclosure deficiency in California. The bankruptcy court ordered the debt discharged and wiped out. Can Bank B sue client to collect $50,000 which has not been paid? No. The reason is that the court discharged this debt. Can personal friend sue client to collect $20,000? No. The debt is discharged in bankruptcy. A further question is this: Can Bank A, Bank B or personal friend treats these debts as uncollectible bad debts and give client a 1099 thereby making these amounts income of client? No. The reason is a discharged debt cannot be forgiven because it was discharged in bankruptcy and there is nothing to forgive.

What happens to the real estate tax? Real estate taxes which accrued before and up to date of filing of bankruptcy are discharged. Real estate taxes that accrue after date of filing of bankruptcy up to foreclosure sale date are not discharged. How about homeowner association fees? If client lived in this house, the HOA fees before and up to date of filing are discharged. HOA fees from filing date to foreclosure sale date are not discharged. HOA fees for rentals are not discharged irrespective of time period.

地產稅是如何征收的呢？之前累計的房地產稅到申請破產期間都是免稅的。從申請破產之後到丧失抵押品贖回權期間是房地產稅不免收的。那麼HOA費呢？如果客戶住在這所房子，申請破產前和過程中都是免收的。但是, 申請破產一旦開始到丧失抵押品贖回權處理中是征收業主協會費的。業主協會的租金費用是不征收的，不論履行時間長短。

What happens if debtor does not have a bankruptcy discharge? Can Bank A sue debtor for $100,000 because Obama only paid Bank A $200,000 when $300,000 was owed by debtor? If the house is in California and it was extra judicially foreclosed, the answer is No because there is no foreclosure deficiency under such circumstances. If the foreclosure was judicial, the answer is YES. If the house is in Florida, the answer is YES because most foreclosures there are judicial. Can Bank B sue debtor for $50,000? YES, because debtor signed 2 documents, a mortgage and a promissory note. The foreclosure by Bank A nullified the mortgage, but the promissory note is unaffected and remains valid. Can personal friend sue debtor for $20,000? Yes, because the promissory note remains valid even though the house is gone. Can Bank A, B and personal friend give debtor a 1099 for amounts forgiven if they decide to forgive debtor? Yes, because these debts are not discharged in bankruptcy.

如果債務人沒有獲得清偿债权, 那又會是什麼樣的情況呢？ A銀行是否可以因為10萬美元餘款起訴債務人呢? 就因為奧巴馬欠A銀行30萬美元房子抵押套現卻只值20萬美元嗎? 如果房子是在加利福尼亞州, 答案是否定的. 因為加州的法律, 是沒有在這種情況下取消抵押品贖回權的。如果一個州擁有取消抵押品贖回權的司法，答案就是肯定的。如果房子是在美國佛羅里達州，答案是肯定的，因為大部分法拍屋都有這種權力。 B銀行可以因為50, 000元起訴債務人嗎？是的，因為債務人簽署了2份文件，抵押貸款和期票。取消抵押品贖回權的抵押貸款銀行 A無效，但本票不受影響，仍然有效。這個人的朋友可以因為20,000元起訴債務人嗎？是的，因為本票仍然有效，即使房子沒有了。銀行 A，B和私人朋友如果決定原諒債務人可以給債務人一個 1099嗎？是的，因為這些債務沒有履行破產。

Does it make sense to short sale house if you are going to file for bankruptcy? NO. Bankruptcy wipes out all debts; therefore there is no need for a short sale. With a bankruptcy discharge, debtor owes nothing to Bank A, B and personal friend; therefore short sale has no purpose.

如果你要申請破產, 那麼虧損出售房屋是否合理？不是的。因為破產抵銷了所有債務，因此沒有必要進行了虧損出售了。根據清偿债权，債務人就不再欠銀行A，B和私人朋友的錢，因此也不需要虧損出售還債了.

Lawrence Bautista Yang is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and has been in law practice for thirty years. He specializes in bankruptcy, business and civil litigation and has handled more than four thousand successful bankruptcy cases in California. He speaks looks forward to discussing your case with you personally. Please call (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S Fremont Ave Bldg A-1 Suite 1125 Unit 58 Alhambra, CA 91803.

勞倫斯.楊畢業於美國喬治敦大學法律中心，並已在法律界實踐 30多年。他專門從事破產，企業和民事的訴訟，並已在加州處理了超過 4000個的成功破產案件。他期待著與你討論你的案例情況。請致電（626）284-1142預約. 地址: 1000 S Fremont Ave Bldg A-1 Suite 1125 Unit 58 Alhambra, CA 91803